Zeus' Apprentice
by ArtsyMusicalSakura
Summary: Killua is a young boy working for Zeus, the King of Gods. For his first mission, he is expected to defeat Leorio, an apprentice under the guidance of Hades, Ruler of the Underworld. How will the final battle between two opposing brothers conclude? What will Killua and Leorio learn from this event? Greek Mythology AU
1. Prologue

**AN: Because of my best friend's interest in Greek mythology, I've decided to do a Greek mythology AU for my favorite anime of all time! Here's the catch: do not expect weekly updates. School is starting up soon and for sure I'll be flooded with homework and projects by then. That means I might not revisit this fic in a while. Anyway, since Killua is the main protagonist in this fic it will be told from his point of view! I really hope you enjoy the prologue and don't forget to R&R if you did!**

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Greece... Where do I even begin with this place? Philosophy, democracy, drama, arithmetic, festivals, the ruins of Athens, beaches, islands. Anything else to add, folks? Basically it's the ancient civilization in a nutshell, several of the things that it's known for.

Oh right. Its mythology too. Of course, I shouldn't have left that out. Every person on Earth should at least have some basic knowledge on the subject. Some aspects of it are even featured in businesses and special man-made objects. That includes the Japanese camera company Olympus, named after Mount Olympus obviously, and the Apollo spacecraft, named after the sun god himself.

So, why am I rambling about Greece in the first place? It's complicated. I guess you can say I once held strong connections to the gods and goddesses. Let's put it this way: The following story that you'll hear soon will bring you very mixed feelings. There will be moments that inspire you, anger you, warm up your hearts, and especially make you break down into tears. This story is realistic, deep, and is similar to what we've all experienced as people. This is a story about not just Greek mythology, but also family, friends, trust, love, hardships, and discovery. This is a story about me, a young boy who has learned to be more human.


	2. The Great One

_**AN: Hi, guys! Even though I said I wouldn't update if school starts, I did since I don't have a lot of work from school just yet. If I don't update in a while, then that means I'm pretty busy. Well, I hope you enjoy the first chapter! Here's a quick friendly reminder: this isn't in Killua's POV but in third person POV. The next chapter will be :) Don't forget to R&R if you like it so far!**_

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_In the events of the creation of Mother Earth, Zeus put the two Titans Prometheus and Epimetheus in charge of giving gifts to all life on the planet. Epimetheus gave special traits to the animals such as swiftness and camouflage. Unfortunately, he ran out of gifts for mankind. Prometheus believed humans needed a gift of protection too, so they received the gift of fire from the heavens. However, the fire's origin is unclear. It has been hypothesized that Prometheus stole it from Hephaestus. This action eventually threw Zeus into chaotic anger, his fury shaking the heavens violently. He refused to share fire with the beings that were conceived to be inferior. As his punishment for supporting mankind, Prometheus was chained down to a rock and had his liver devoured by an eagle. Because of his immortality, the organ rejuvenated every time it was gone._

_The King of the Gods decided to observe every inch, every mile, every acre of the land mankind soon inhabited and exactly how they used the gift of fire in their daily lives. Not only that but he also observed their individual personalities and attitudes carefully. What he found common among the majority of mankind were the characteristics of greed, pride, wrath, envy, gluttony, lust, and sloth. These words later became known as the seven deadly sins in Christian teachings. Zeus understood that humans often pursued materialistic things that they desired in the form of greed and decided to plan on primarily utilizing that trait against them. That was when the role of the apprentices came into play._

_An apprentice is a human who has made a contract with a Greek god or goddess to successfully fulfill the work laid out for them in exchange for one wish. To help them with their work, gods and goddesses have passed down their powers to their apprentices as a significant part of their protection. What all of the apprentices haven't learned yet is that they will be asked to steal fire from their own kind and return it back to Zeus. Once they've done that, they'll be rewarded with something even bigger in return..._

XxXxX

"And that, guys and gals, is why Greece is a hot destination on your bucket lists!" Ging concluded, grinning like a cheeky brat.

The teenagers sat quietly. No exciting reactions. They were definitely a pain with their bored and drowsy faces. The only person in the classroom who appreciated Ging's flamboyance was none other than the teacher. She applauded at a pleasant volume with a big warm smile on her face.

"Thank you so much for taking time out of work to visit us, Mr. Freecss! I really learned a lot from you today! I'm sure my kids have learned something new! Though, it seems like they're not expressing that right now."

Ging scratched his head in modesty. "Ah, no problem. It was my pleasure."

He started packing his objects into his suitcase, fixed his tie, and put on his blazer.

"Bye, guys! Maybe we'll see each other again sometime!" he waved as the door opened, then it shut tightly.

Sauntering through the obnoxiously decorated hallway, he muttered to himself in quiet rage, "Damn kids these days. None of them want to learn. They don't bother to question about what they don't already know. All they care about is social media and dating and all that one-dimensional crap! I guess this is what we adults get in a generation of advanced technology so we'll have to learn to live with that ugly truth. At least Gon isn't really like those kids. Life isn't always about having fun like they always think. It's about making mistakes and learning from them. It's all about learning to improve yourself as a person physically, mentally, and emotionally."

"I must say, you sound as meaningful as always, Mr. Freecss sir," a somewhat nerdy feminine voice spoke.

Ging jolted from his hunched position. "Who the hell said that!? You scared me!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that! Please forgive me!" the voice answered with more volume.

Ging stood up straight like he should and looked all over his surroundings until he spotted a short girl with short brown hair and big glasses behind him.

"Ah, so it was you, young lady."

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Well, thanks for the compliment but I shouldn't deserve it. I was just preaching the truth, that's all. A bunch of people have done that sort of stuff before me so it's nothing special."

"It is to me," she commented with some excitement. "This is the first time I personally met someone who does it as a part of life."

Ging chuckled. "I guess you do have a point there, miss!"

"I am a huge fan of your work, Mr. Freecss sir! I strongly admire your passion in teaching and I wish to be like you when I earn a degree in that field! It's amazing how you've managed to discover and collect all of those artifacts in the soils of Greece!"

"Oh please..." Ging started blushing.

"May I have your autograph then? Also, I'm in the newspaper club so do you mind if I write an article about you? I would like to include your entire rant just now because I couldn't agree with you any more! Could you write it down as accurately as possible on a notepad? What you said to yourself is really deep stuff you know!"

She jumped up and down vivaciously from all her admiration over a supposed celebrity in the teacher community.

"Yeah, yeah, I got ya..." Ging laughed nervously. "Unfortunately I wouldn't say that I'm likable when it comes to talking about other things..."

XxXxX

Ging arrived at his welcoming and lovely home. Gon, Mito, and his grandmother were not present yet.

"Another day wasted, another day remaining a mystery..."

He dropped his suitcase on the floor without any thought. On his back, he fell gently into the soft cushions of the couch, comfortable enough to fall asleep but he didn't.

"God, I'm tired. Wonder where they are..."

Suddenly, the knob on the front door twisted. Three certain people appeared at the doorway with brown paper grocery bags piled up in their arms.

"Ah, speak of the devil," Ging muttered.

"Dinner for tonight will be your favorite, Ging!" Mito said like a commander and headed right to the kitchen counter to prepare her ingredients.

"Hm, steak with the usual sides? Sounds good," he yawned. "Yo, Gon. Turn on the TV for me."

"Ok, but let me loosen up first, 'kay dad?" Gon said nervously while he raised his arms with much difficulty and set other food down. "Whew, now that's a good workout!"

"It's important to stay healthy and fit like I am, Gon," Grandma Freecss advised as she did the same. "That way you won't have to deal with serious health issues when you're older. The healthier you are, the longer your life will be."

Gon walked over to where his father was, picked up the remote from the coffee table, and pointed it to the flat screen, turning it on.

"Good evening, everyone!" a pretty young woman on the current channel greeted. "I will be your meteorologist for tonight! Here is the weather forecast for this week!"

Then the chart appeared. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday all shared something in common.

"Tonight around eight o' clock, there will be an eighty percent chance of scattered thunderstorms. If you are planning to go somewhere by then, please be sure to bring an umbrella and wear a jacket! Thank you."

"AGAIN?" Ging raised his voice.

"Wow, Ging. This is one of the few times that I've heard you sound that surprised," Mito remarked sarcastically, chopping broccoli and sautéing them in the pan.

"Oh my, this is like the fifteenth time already for this month," Grandma Freecss pointed out. "Well, it has been very hot this summer."

"Dad, can I change the channel?" Gon asked. "No offense, but this is kinda boring."

"Of course," Ging stretched his arms. "It's only weather. Don't expect it to be grand news."

Both of them laughed heartily like father and son. Grandma Freecss smiled at the two of them and went ahead in helping Mito prepare dinner for their happy family. Gon switched to a different news channel. On the bottom of the screen read in all capital letters, "BREAKING NEWS".

"Let's watch this!" Gon suggested. "I wonder what happened now..."

"Sure," Ging shrugged.

Above the news headlines, a video of an ongoing thunderstorm was playing. Booming thunder resonated throughout the city and quick glimpses of lightning were seen occasionally. Another sound ringed in the plethora of noises. It was unfamiliar, not really heard in your average storm. It was similar to the sound of speed, like a race car zipping through other cars on the tracks, grabbing victory. A strange blue light zoomed by in a heartbeat.

Ging and his son stared at that one moment and looked at each other with open mouths in both awe and confusion.

"What was that...?" Gon asked.

"For some reason," a male reporter spoke, "there have been bizarre sightings of light during thunderstorms nowadays. It is unknown about where it's coming from and how it was formed. Scientists are currently investigating the mysteries behind it and believe it might be a new natural phenomenon. This clip was taken by one of our storm watchers. Stay tuned for more news after the break."

"Gon! Ging!" Mito called from the kitchen. "Get ready! It's almost time to eat!"

XxXxX

"So, dad," Gon said, starting the conversation, "how was your day at that middle school?"

"Mmm," Ging muffled as he chowed down a piece of juicy medium-well steak and some broccoli. "It was fun presenting, but the kids were terrible."

"And what exactly do you mean by terrible?" Mito questioned as she sliced up her own meat. "Your definition could be different from what it really means."

"By terrible, I mean straight-up terrible," Ging replied, sounding somewhat forced. "They didn't misbehave, but they looked like they weren't even freakin' paying attention to what I wanted to say! They should think twice by trying to put themselves in my position and know what it feels like to not have enough attention as a teacher! It's rather painful, I'd say. Geez, kids are such a handful still. The best part about that school was meeting one of my fans."

"You have fans? That's awesome!" Gon exclaimed. "It sounds you've become a famous person!"

"Not that famous," Ging corrected with embarrassment as he blushed again.

"Ging, calm down, sweetheart," Grandma Freecss assured, drinking her tea in peace. "Just get over what happened today and move on to expect better for tomorrow."

Out of the blue, thunder rumbled loudly and a flash of lightning glowed near the windows. Everyone jumped a bit from their seats.

"You were saying again, grandma?" Ging sighed. "Doesn't look like that for tomorrow, it seems."

Ging gulped down the rest of his water and set his glass down. He got up from his seat and pushed it back in.

"I'll be snoozing soon. G'night."

When he walked past the door, the main entrance, a thud rang across the whole living room that Ging literally shook and lost his balance for a bit. The thunder's roars grew more violent and terrifying. Plentiful rain poured down even harder.

"What the hell!? It's sure a damn riot out there!"

"Dad, are you okay?" Gon pleaded worriedly.

"It sounded like something fell!" Mito added with great curiosity.

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll be right back!" Ging informed as he escaped to the turbulent mess outdoors.

"Ging, you better not-" Mito ordered but got interrupted by an unusual sighting when he returned right away.

In his drenched arms was an injured young boy who was wearing a leafy wreath around his prickly silver hair and a worn-out toga...


	3. The Name's Killua

**AN: Hi guys! It's been a while, huh? I guess I decided to use my three-day weekend to my advantage by working on this fic! Well, I really hope you guys enjoy this episode of ZA since I worked pretty hard on it! Please R&R and stay tuned for more!**

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I woke up like this: my eyes, heavy from being weighed down by an unknown light, were opening up sluggishly. It was like awakening from such a deep slumber during hibernation. It was the reverse of getting sleepy as you got drugged for an operation.

I woke up in a completely different place.

Besides the light in the fan, the first thing I noticed was a white ceiling. And suddenly, out of nowhere, a boy who looked like he was my age went in the way of my view. He stared right at me with his innocent round eyes. That was a bit creepy.

"Aunt Mito, he's finally awake!" he called after disappearing out of my sight for a moment.

Who was he anyway? Who the heck was this Aunt Mito person? All I know was that they were a bunch of strangers.

"That's good!" she answered back. "Let me get new clothes for him!"

He returned, looking over me again.

"Good morning!" he grinned. "Did you rest well?"

"Huh...? Wh-where am I?" I replied weakly, my eye lids not fully opened yet.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," the supposed Aunt Mito said. "We're your friends and we're trying to take care of you. We won't bite."

"You know, I have a bunch of things to ask you," the boy said. "I'd like to know your name first, of course."

"M-me...?" I muttered. "I... I don't know my name..."

"Really, is that so?" he answered in a surprised way as his eyes grew. "Maybe you got amnesia from what happened last night."

"Amnesia? Last night? What do you mean?" I asked, my voice more articulate this time.

Footsteps sounded throughout the hardwood floor. It looked like Aunt Mito was checking on me too. She gently seated herself at the edge of the bed I laid down in and lightly caressed my pale leg. Even creepier.

"Sweetheart, would you like to change into your new clothes first?" Aunt Mito asked with a friendly smile. "Then I'll explain everything."

"Okay..." I agreed.

I sat up, changing the cushioning of the pillow behind me so I was more comfortable. I saw her pick up something from a basket and as she walked to me again, I noticed that they were blue pajamas with clouds printed on them. It smelled like something sweet, sugary, like candy. It reminded me of a certain someone involved with the skies...

XxXxX

The boy, Aunt Mito, and I were seated around the dining table. Aunt Mito folded her hands and stared at her coffee in contemplation.

"We... found you last night outside our home," she revealed.

I looked up at her with surprise, wanting to know more about what exactly happened.

"You were unconscious and soaking wet," she continued on with her story. "My cousin Ging, Gon's father, brought you in when a thunderstorm was raging on. We heard something fell and it was pretty loud. We didn't expect a young boy like you to cause that much ruckus!"

So Gon was that boy's name. I looked down at my childish pajama pants and blushed.

"Oh, I see... Though I don't remember that myself..."

"Haha, don't be shy," Gon comforted. "I'd feel embarrassed doing something like that too."

Aunt Mito took a sip of her coffee. She got out of her seat and stretched her arms.

"Would you like to eat first, sweetheart?" she asked, looking at me. "You must be hungry."

As my stomach growled, we all laughed.

"Haha, just as I expected!" she pointed out and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Gon smiled at me again. For some reason, that smile, that certain curve between the ends of his lips, was similar to a smile of an unfamiliar person that I've dreamed about. But, I can't exactly place that person's identity right now.

"So... you have no clue who you are?" he questioned.

I shook my head. "I don't know."

"But do you remember where you're from? Like where do you live? We can help you return to your original home if you'd like!"

"I don't know where my home is," I disagreed.

Gon shot more questions at me like he was opening fire. No matter what kinds of questions they were, whether it was about my family or my interests, I denied knowing anything about my background.

What he didn't realize yet was that all of my answers were simple lies. It was my way of protecting myself. From the start of my education, I was always taught that I should trust no one. No one other than people of my own blood. In other words, I was told that I should only trust my family. Though, the "family" I lived with for the majority of my life had adopted me so we weren't biologically related.

Unfortunately, that famous saying didn't stay true for long.

XxXxX

"_As you can see, my pupils," Ging taught, "perhaps the primary reason for the existence of many denominations in faith can derive from the fact that people look for change in certain teachings and traditions. If they don't like a rule or two, then they'll want to revolt against it in hopes of demolishing it. Either that or they'll put their own spin on the rule to improve it. The exact same concept is relevant to government too. Obviously, many would riot over a corrupt government that takes up all the authority. That is why the Greeks have come up with the democratic government, to hand over some power to the states and people as acceptance of their beliefs as a whole."_

_The bell beeped for a couple of seconds. Students hustled out in joy that two long painful hours of theology had finally concluded. The vagabond-like man scratched his head and sighed._

"_Thank goodness I have my break now. I need some rest for my brain."_

_Ging sat down at his desk, chin on his hand. He contemplated hard about the night before, especially the boy. Memories of a tattoo on the boy's wrist spawned numerous times in his mind._

"_That tattoo... I know where I've seen it before. I've noticed it a lot of times in my Greek mythology books and when I visited several ruins in Greece by myself. That's Zeus' lightning bolt and the tattoo is on point with its detail! I wonder how he got that tattoo... Just who? Who is that boy anyway...?"_

XxXxX

"Time to eat, boys! Enough talking!" Aunt Mito called, carrying two plates of food I've never seen before in my life.

When she set them down on the table, Gon's mouth began to water. One plate looked like it had some sort of meat that was in long and wavy pieces. The other had a stack of flat and round things that were golden brown. I stared at the two foods, confused at what they actually were.

"What's wrong?" Gon asked me worriedly. "You don't like them?"

"No," I replied, "it's just that I don't know what they are."

"Really!?" Gon and Aunt Mito exclaimed simultaneously.

They stared at me as if I was some bizarre extraterrestrial from outer space. It took them like twenty minutes to explain until I had a firm grasp of the conversation.

"Ohhh! So bacon and pancakes are what they are!" I said. "Well you see, where I'm from, I mostly eat bread and fruits for breakfast. Maybe that's why I've never heard of them before. Sorry for my ignorance."

This was the first time I felt stupid.

"It's ok, sweetheart!" Aunt Mito forgave me. "You learn something new everyday, right?"

"They're really good!" Gon muffled as he tried to stuff an entire pancake in his mouth. "You should totally try them!"

With my fork, I grabbed a couple pieces of bacon and two pancakes. With my first bites, I was immediately hooked. I must say, they were really delicious!

"Mmm! Can I get more, Aunt Mito?" I asked, pleasing my taste buds as I chewed slowly.

"Eat all you'd like!" she accepted gladly. "Also, you have a bit of a mess on your face."

She got a table napkin and wiped off the area around my mouth like a mother would do for her baby. Then, she smiled in the most welcoming way possible. Just like a mother would.

XxXxX

"_A kid?" one of Ging's coworkers inquired with some laughter in his voice, repeating his words. "With a permanent tattoo?"_

_He was also a theology professor who worked at the same college as Ging. Accompanying them were their other coworkers, professors who taught in similar fields such as the history of ancient civilizations. Ging had rallied them around a round table in the lounge as if it were some major conference. Everyone else except Ging joined in the laughter._

"_You're probably making this up!" another professor cackled. "I mean, what kind of parent would allow their kid to get a tattoo?"_

"_They hurt a lot unlike those tattoos that can be put on the skin with just water," another professor informed. "I don't think parents would let their kids take that kind of risk in which they put themselves in pain."_

"_I'm not fooling around, you guys!" Ging shouted. "I have some proof that it's not some washable kiddy tattoo! Ugh, sometimes I wish I hadn't taken up this profession."_

"_How would we know then?" one of his coworkers replied._

"_Pictures are the best proof we got! I have several on my phone just so you know!" Ging bragged with pride._

_His hands searched throughout his pockets until he got a hold of it. Ging picked it up and eventually showed them a picture of the tattoo. The lightning bolt was a sliver of bright white that was somewhat in the shape of a crystal. Lightning was realistically drawn all around it._

"_Isn't that Zeus' symbol?" one of the professors remarked._

"_Not quite," Ging advised, his voice somewhat hesitant. "There's more to it than what you just said."_

_He showed them another photo. This time the tattoo was glowing, much brighter than before that it could blind anyone's eyes..._

_Soon, there were some gasps and muttering here and there. They couldn't believe the sight. They strongly felt regret in their disparaging words which showed that they were unconvinced. They would take back the fact they didn't believe Ging._

"_What in the world?" some of them commented. _

"_I have no clue why this happened, but when I grabbed his wrist, I also touched the tattoo and he started groaning in pain. I don't know how that would work, and I don't even want to know how that's possible."_

XxXxX

"Aunt Mito, how come Dad isn't home yet?" Gon asked.

He seemed pretty worried about his whereabouts. His dad was supposed to be here several hours ago, but it was already eight o' clock. He was supposed to be here earlier to discuss plans for vacation involving the whole family. That could possibly include me as a new addition to the family.

"Maybe he had to be held back at work," she suggested. "He hasn't told me anything."

"Oh, Ging," Gon's grandmother shook her head. "He still acts like a nuisance, doesn't he?"

Oh, in case you were wondering where she's been all this time, she was at work running her little diner. Yup, she's still working even as an elderly woman in her eighties. She's that devoted to her business. It's like her child.

Speak of the devil. Gon's dad unlocked the door, looking weary and exhausted as he carried his solid black suitcase around.

"Where have you been!? You're way too late!" Aunt Mito raised her voice while she stood up from the couch.

"Ging, your son's been worrying about you for a while now!" his grandmother added.

"Quit it," Ging moaned. "I'm not in the best mood right now. I wanna sleep, 'kay?"

"You better explain tomorrow then!" Aunt Mito pointed a finger at him.

"Okay, okay," Ging grunted and he walked over to my spot on the couch.

He kneeled down in front of me, directly locking his fierce brown eyes with my sad but beautiful sapphire eyes. He poked my forehead playfully.

"You," he spoke. "I have something very important to ask you tomorrow and I'd like you to explain as honestly as possible."

"O-okay..."

Sweat began to stream down the back of my neck and my temples. Judging from the tone of his voice, it was definitely a question of a serious matter. Hopefully, it wouldn't be one that was completely negative on my part. Hopefully, it would be one that I'd give a straighforward answer to.

XxXxX

"Good night, boys!" Aunt Mito and Gon's grandmother greeted as they started up the stairs.

"Be sure to sleep soon!" Aunt Mito added.

"Night!" Gon and I waved back.

"Hey, want to go star gazing with me in the backyard?" Gon insisted. "Summer nights are really beautiful, you know!"

"Sure!" I nodded in anticipation and smiled.

In our pajamas and fuzzy slippers, we raced each other to the back door. Being in first place, I opened the door but then Gon landed on my back so we rolled on top of each other like logs. We giggled as softly as possible to avoid disturbing our neighbors who were already sleeping. We really enjoyed this sort of amusement. We sat up properly and looked up at the unreachable stars that awaited us.

"Wow!" I gasped and pointed to many of them. "Now that's pretty!"

"I know, right?" Gon agreed in a dreamy state, also amazed.

"Hey, Gon..." I said, still watching the stars that sparkled like precious diamonds.

"Hm?" Gon turned his face to mine. "What is it?"

"About earlier..." I continued. "When you asked me those questions, I... I was lying the entire time and now I regret doing that."

"EH? B-but why? Why would you do that?"

I stood up from my seat in the cold and bristly grass, wiping some of it off my pajama pants. I headed to one of the swings and started to swing myself back and forth.

"You see, I was taught by my guardians that I shouldn't trust anybody other than them. It doesn't matter if the person is a child like I am. At first, I saw you and your family as strangers who could be secretly trying to inflict harm on me. But, ever since I noticed how kind, welcome, and generous all of you really are, I've had a change of heart in my thoughts. What I learned from this is that parents and guardians aren't always right in what they say. They don't always make the best role models for their kids. Since they're human, they're not perfect."

"I see. You do have a good point there. So, does that mean you didn't have memory loss from the time you crashed at my place?"

"I guess not," I assured. "At least that's good news."

"So, would you like to start over with your introductions then?"

Gradually, I came to a stop in my swinging.

"First of all, the name's Killua," I grinned.


End file.
